West=On=Track
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Bord Snip Report Perpetuating Absence of Vision

Press Release August 24th 2009

A spokesman for the West on Track Community Campaign, Colmán Ó Raghallaigh, has agreed with former President Robinson that the lack of a comprehensive vision of what sort of society we want is at the heart of the problems Ireland faces.

“I agree absolutely with Mrs Robinson. As a West of Ireland person, she has clearly identified what we see as a regional community group: vision based purely on Dublin 4 economics,” Mr. Ó Raghallaigh said.

“The Bord Snip report perpetuates this absence of vision. To give one example: Transport 21 is a euro10 billion NATIONAL programme. Colm McCarthy, a well-known Dublin 4 economist, has chosen to pick one project from the plan that should be axed- the Western Rail Corridor - which is about 1 per cent of the total budget. In spite of the fact that it is by far the most reasonably priced project in T21 and would have the biggest regional impact, it is the first to fall under his knife. He is targeting the west of Ireland and applying his D4 vision and prejudices to a completely different set of circumstances.

“Dr McCarthy’s vision needs to be debated and challenged. While we all accept there is a need for the State to measure its cloth, the vision of Ireland, the future blueprint for this country, cannot be one that just sees Ireland as a place that starts in Doheny and Nesbitts in Baggot Street and ends at Liffey Valley Shopping Centre. There is a world outside of Dublin 4 and the cuts needs to be balanced. Failure to invest in infrastructure today will cost us dearly in the future. One might reasonably expect an economist to understand such a basic commonsense principle.

“The Western Rail Corridor is a valid and sensible project, is supported by over 100,000 people, can be done at tremendous value to the taxpayer and will be as viable as any other rail project in Ireland. It will deliver for Ireland across all its objectives on climate change, on balanced regional development, on having the capacity to develop a smart economy countrywide and on allowing people equality of opportunity.”